With cybercrime cases surging, several government agencies, private sector, and advocacy groups joined forces to educate the public on spotting and avoiding online scams.

Advocacy groups Bayan Academy and Citizen Watch Philippines in a statement on Tuesday, May 21, said the initiative dubbed "Be Wais: Civic Education Campaign against Fraud and Scams,” aims to increase awareness among the public about the various types of scams prevalent online.

As part of the campaign, the groups spearheaded the launch of educational videos showcasing deceptive tactics, such as online shopping scams, phishing or bank scams, job scams, love scams, investment scams, and brand impersonation scams.

It added that these videos will also be shared on the social media platforms of government agencies, the private sector, and advocacy partners.

Launched on May 11 at SM Mall of Asia Music Hall, the campaign was spearheaded by advocacy groups Bayan Academy and Citizen Watch Philippines.

Representatives from key authorities like the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) also attended the event alongside private sector partners Meta and SM Supermalls.

Cybercrime cases up

The group pointed out that the launch of the campaign comes amid a surge in cybercrime cases in the Philippines.

Citing data from the Philippine National Police (PNP), there was a significant increase in cybercrime incidents in 2023, with over 19,000 cases reported, alarmingly, it saw a 70 percent rise from 2022.

It said the majority of these cases with over 14,000 incidents were related to online scams.

Moreover, government figures indicate a 20 percent rise in cybercrime cases during the first quarter of this year compared to the last quarter of 2023.

Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla cited that 90 percent of all crimes now have cybercrime content.

"We no longer see robbers entering banks with guns. Today's criminals utilize advanced digital technologies, including smartphones and computers, to orchestrate theft,” Remulla said.

“In response, we have been actively bolstering our anti-cybercrime measures and continuously updating our strategies to stay ahead of these threats," he added.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) also witnessed a rapid surge in online investment scams since the pandemic began.

“This is why we are intensifying our financial literacy drive to empower individuals in their investment choices as well as selection of financial products and services,” said Chairperson Emilio Aquino.

This is where DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac noted that overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are "frequent targets" of investment scams, consumer fraud, illegal recruitment, and human trafficking.

“Empowerment is the cornerstone of our vision. With collaborative initiatives from our partner agencies and concerned stakeholders, we continue to support OFWs and their families in managing their hard-earned money and in helping them make wise financial decisions, as well as in maximizing their earning potential from the livelihood support from our reintegration services,” DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac said.

Moreover, the country topped the list for online shopping scam rates in the 2023 Asia Scam Report, according to a survey conducted by the Global Anti-Scam Alliance.

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This finding has prompted the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Fred Pascual to caution consumers about fraudulent activities.

“We want to remind our consumers to remember a few key things when purchasing online: First, ensure that the online seller is legitimate by checking if they have a business address, email, and contact number,” Pascual said.

He explained that being cautious with the prices online might not be the same as the actual item.

“A huge price difference can serve as a warning to thoroughly check the item. Lastly, look up the business's trade name on the DTI website to avoid dealing with businesses that are not legitimate or registered properly,” he added.

Multisectoral collaboration

Co-convenor of CitizenWatch Philippines and former congressman Atty. Kit Belmonte underscored the need for all sectors of society to collaborate to combat online fraud and scams.

“While we push the government and online platforms to strengthen citizens’ cyber-protection, we must also arm ourselves with the know-how to ensure that these fraudsters, scammers and thieves do not succeed,” Belmonte said.

Furthermore, it added that the DICT is also intensifying its cybersecurity information campaign as part of the National Cybersecurity Plan 2024-2028.

“Cybercriminals are very adept in using social engineering to steal passwords, coax people into revealing their e-wallet accounts, and so on. We’re doing more information campaigns to make the public aware of the risks involved,” said DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy.